Starter for internal-combustion engines



Nov. 9, 1926. 1,606,533

J. HASSELBRING. JR

STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 12, 1922 Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOHN HASSELBRING, JR., OF FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK.

STARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES. I

Application filed June 12, 1922. Serial No. 567,828.

My invention relates to starters for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a starter embodying therein an electric motor, the controller for the circuit to which is adapted to be manually actuated.

Heretofore in starters for internal combustion engines, it has been a common practice to provide an electric motor adapted to be automatically connected with the engine shaft, the circuit to this motor being controlled by a switch adapted to be actuated by the foot of a driver, the circuit cbntroller being entirely independent of other controllers in and about the machine. In addition to the foot controlled make and break mechanism, it has also been common to provide a hand operated switch in the circuit to the starting motor, thus requiring the driver to first close this switch by hand and to thereafter actuate the plunger controlling the foot operated make and break mechanism. This construction of starter in its actuation requires close attention from the driver, and the actuation of the starter is always attended with inconvenience.

With the above conditions in mind, I have devised a starter by which the circuit to the starting motor is controlled by the engine clutch pedal, thus not only dispensing with additional controls requiring the attention of the driver, but avoiding any possibility of the application of power to the engine while the clutch is set, and likelihood of the burning out of'the motor in the event that the driver should, through inadvertence, apply power to the starting motor while the transmission gearing is set for application of power to the driving shaft. With the starter of my invention both feet are always properly positioned with relation to the clutch and the foot brake pedals, and power cannot be applied to the car while the starting motor is in operation.

In addition to the foregoing characteris tics, I provide the pedal operating control for the starting motor .circuit, with electrically actuated means which, when the clutch has once been set and the foot pedal has been elevated, will prevent that downward movement of the pedal necessary to close the circuit to the starting motor so long as the engine is running, but will permit such movement at all times when the engine is at rest.

The construction is such that the clutch pedal may be actuated at all times for releasing the clutch, irrespective of the position of parts inthe starting motor control.

\Vith a starter embodying my invention, the circuit to the starting motor may be maintained closed as long as the driver de sires to hold Lhe clutch pedal depressed, but

mally open make and break mechanism arranged in circuit between said battery and said motor, including therein a movable contact member and a depressible member operative thereon and arranged in the path of movement of the clutch pedal, whereby the movement of said clutch pedal to release the engine clutch will actuate said movable contact to close the circuit to said motor; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the controller as it appears above the foot board of an automobile;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof with the easing of the controller broken away to disclose the stop members for preventing actuation of the controller while an engine is running;

Fig. 3' is a vertical sectionthrough the controller;

Fig. 4 is a View from the side of the controller opposite to that shown in Fig. 2, with a portion of the casing broken away; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic showing of the starter as applied to an automobile.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, reference being had particularly to Fig. 5, a starting motor adapted to be connected in the usual or any other desired manner to the shaft of an internal combustion engine, is shown at a, and a generator adapted to be driven from said engine, at b. An electric battery, preferably a storage or secondary battery, is shown at 0. Said battery 0 is adapted to supply current to the motor a through the electrical connections 0 and 0? and a controller 05 including therein a normally open make and break mechanism to control the supply of current to the motor a. While, when starting the engine, current is drawn from the battery 0 for use in the ignition system, and the generator I) is used for recharging this battery, this practice is well known in the art and hence the electrical conditions incidental thereto are not shown in the drawings, as they do not in any way modify the action of the starter.

The controller d includes therein a casing 0 adapted to be fitted to an opening in the foot board of an automobile adjacent and below the pedal f for controlling the engine clutch.

Within the casing e and insulated therefrom and from each other, are two spaced contacts 9 and g, each provided with a binding post with which the connections 0 and c are respectively connected.

Co-operating with the contacts 9 and g is a bridge contact it having an actuating stem h slidably mounted in a bushing 11 of insulating material carried by an extension of said casing indicated at e. This stem h is provided with an enlarged head and is acted upon by a spring 9' located in a spring seat in the bushing i and acting against said enlarged head so as to normally disengage the contct h from the contacts 9 and g and thus normally maintain an open circuit from the battery 0 to the motor a.

The projecting enlargement of the stem h is positioned in the path of movement of the pedal i so that the bridge contact it may be engaged with the contacts 9 and g by the engagement of said pedal toward the limit of its downward movement with said stem, it being desirable to so set the controller with relation to said pedal that the pedal will engage the stem 72/ only after the en ine clutch has been fully released.

ince it is desirable to avoid the actuation of the motor a at all times except when starting an engine, lprovide means whereby while an engine is running, such movement of the contact h under the control of the pedal f as will engage it with the contacts g and g is prevented, this mechanism in the form of the invention shown consisting of an extension is carried by the contact h and having a bevelled lower end as shown,

and an opposed stop m carried by a rod m, slidably mounted in the bearing frame m one end of this rod being brought within the field of a magnet 01 which is in circuit with the generator I) through the connection 12 and with ground throu h the wire n. The ground connection of t e generator I) is indicated at 6 Acting upon the stop at is a coiled spring 0 having a normal tendency to force said stop, the end of which toward the extension is is bevelled as shown, into a position which will permit a downward movement of the extension Ir: and the contact h carrying same, which condition will be maintained so long as the generator I) is not functioning.

The operation of the herein described starter is substantially as follows While an engine is at rest. the contact it will be raised out of engaging relation to the contacts g-g and the magnet n will be de-energized .so that the stop at will be forced by the spring 0 to a position to the left of that shown in Fig. 8, aflording ample clearance to permit a downward movement of the extension In sufficient to engage the contact h with said contacts g-g.

With the conditions as above stated, it is merely necessary for a driver, when he desires to apply power to the engine shaft through the motor a, to close the circuit to his ignition system and to depress the pedal f to its full extent. Toward the end of the downward movement of said pedal, it will engage the projecting end of the stem h, this engagement occuring substantially simultaneously with the full release of the engine clutch as a result of the movement of said pedal. The continued movement of the pedal after the initial engagement thereof With said stem h Will force the contact h into engagement with the contacts g-g, thus closing the gap between said contacts and permitting the current to flow from the battery 0 to the motor a. The extension In during the movement of the contact h under the control of the pedal will pass to one side of the stop m.

The circuit to the motor a may be kept closed as long as the driver desires to hold the pedal f depressed, since even. though the engine, while the motor is in operation, reaches a speed to actuate the generator I) and as a result cause the magnet n to be energized, the energizing of said magnet cannot interrupt the circuit to the motor a since its sole function is to actuate a positive, mechanical stop, which under the conditions specified is held against movement by the extension is.

It will be observed that the contact It cannot be engaged with the contacts g-g except under conditions which will ensure the release of the engine clutch, thus avoiding any possibility of overloading the motor through a lack of attention to the transmission gearing of the vehicle.

If it be desired to interrupt the circuit to the motor a without setting the engine clutch, this may be done by permitting a limited upward movement of the pedal f, the stem h and contact h following this movement under the control of the spring j.

Since the generator 6 will begin to function immediately following the initial application of power to' the engine, it is apparent that the magnet n will be energized, under most conditions, before the pedal is released, so that instantly with the release of this pedal and the attainment b the contact h, of its uppermost position, t e stop m will be moved toward the magnet n and held in this position so long as the generator 7/ is in operation and the engine is running, thus permitting complete freedom in the use of the clutch pedal without any possibility of the closing of the circuit to the motor a.

In the event of the stoppage of the engine, the magnet n will be immediately de-energized, thus permitting the spring 0 to move the stop m to one side of the extension is and establish a condition which will permit the contact h to be engaged with the contacts gg in the manner above described for the purpose of closing the circuit to the motor a.

It is apparent that the stem It must be so insulated in relation to the pedal 7 as to avoid any possibility of short circuiting through the pedal, any desired arrangement of insulation being permissible as by having the enlarged portion of the stem made of fiber or other similar non-conducting material.

It will be observed that a starter embodying my invention requires for its actuation, no attention beyond what is required when it is desired to apply power to the vehicle, since the steps of closing the switch to the ignition system and of releasing the clutch pedal, are practices followed as an incident to the shifting of gears and the starting of the engine under its own power, when starting an automobile, even though an electri cal starter is not used.

With a starter embodying my invention, the application of power to the starting .motor is thus not only very much simplified, but the starting motor is placed under the manual control of the driver and the application of power to the motor may, if desired, be deferred after the circuit to the ignition system has been closed, or continued as long as may be necessary.

A starter constructed as herein described has the great advantage that the feet of the driver may at all times be maintained in the same position as to the clutch and the brake pedals, thus avoiding any possibility of accident as a result of the shifting of the feet from their accustomed position when starting the car.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A starter for internal combustion engines embodying therein an electric motor adapted to be operatively connected with the shaft of an engine, an electric battery, a normally open make and break mechanism arranged in circuit between said battery and said motor, including therein a movable contact member and a depressible member operative thereon and arranged in the path of movement of the clutch pedal, whereby the movement of said clutch pedal to release the engine clutch will actuate said movable contact to close the circuit to said motor, an electric generator adapted to be actuated from the engine, a closed circuit therefrom, an electro magnet included in said circuit, and means co-operating with said movable contact and arranged within the field of said magnet, whereby when said magnet is deenergized, said last named means will be inoperative to prevent the actuation of said movable contact, and when said magnet is energized, said means will be made operative to prevent the actuation of said contact.

2. A starter for internal combustion engines embodying therein an electric motor adapted to be operatively connected with the shaft of an engine, an electric battery a normally open make and break mechanism arranged in circuit between said battery and said motor, including therein a plurality of spaced electrical contacts electrical connections between one of said contacts and said battery and between the other of said contacts and said motor, a bridge contact movable in relation to said fixed contacts, a spring normally holding said bridge contact out of engagement with said other contacts, and a stem carried by said movable contact and positioned in the path of move ment of the clutch pedal, whereby the movement of said clutch pedal to release the engine clutch will move said bridge contact into engagement with said spaced contacts and close the circuit to the motor, an electric generator adapted to be actuated from the engine, a closed circuit therefrom, an electro magnet included in said circuit, and means cooperating with said movable contact and arranged within the field of said magnet, whereby when said magnet is deenergized, said last named means will be inoperative to prevent the actuation of said movable contact, and when said magnet is energized, said means will be made operative to prevent the actuation of said magnet.

3. A starter for internal combustion engines embodving therein an electric motor adapted to be operatively connected with the shaft of an engine, an electric battery,

a normally open make and break mechanism arranged in circuit between said battery and said motor, including therein a movable contact member and a depressible member operative thereon and arranged in the path of movement of the clutch pedal, whereby the movement of said clutch pedal to release the engine clutch will actuate said movable contact to close the circuit to said motor, an electric generator ada ted to be actuated from the engine, a close. circuit from said generator, an electro magnet included in said circuit, a movable stop within the field of said magnet, a member carried by said movable contact and in operative relation to said stop, and a spring actin upon said stop to normally move it out of the operative relation to said member, whereby when said magnet is de-energized, movement of said contact is permitted, and when said magnet is energized, and said movable contact is inoperative to close the circuit to said motor, movement of said contact is prevented by said stop.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature this 23rd day of May, 1922.

JOHN HASSELBRING, J R. 

